Run and Become

I have always loved the freedom of outdoor activities. As a child I used to climb trees, built forts and play adventure games with my brother and our friends. During my teens I rode my bike everywhere and played lots of table tennis and tennis. Occasionally my brother and I would go for an early morning run along the beach.

• Finishing Sri Chinmoy 7 Mile Race, Rockland State Park, New York ... May 1982

In my early 20's I began jogging to a friend's place each morning ... and for a few weeks a year we would train up to improve our times in the annual 12 km 'City to Bay' fun run in Adelaide.

Inspired me to run a marathon

In July 1979, along with a workmate, I joined an athletics club and started to run cross-country races. At my first race I met Sipra Lloyd and Bruce Abrahams ... both of whom looked super fit, and who a week latter I would witness finishing the South Australian State Marathon.

Sipra, who smilingly crossed the finish line in an impressive 3:14, became the first woman to run the South Australian State Marathon. Latter, when attending my first meditation class, I realised that she was a student of Sri Chinmoy.

Bruce, who ran 3:20, was inspired by Fred Lebow's 5 boroughs New York City Marathon ... and was race director for the inaugural Adelaide Festival City 'peoples' Marathon ... to be run from Gawler to Adelaide latter in that year.

I was inspired by their achievements and each of them would encourage me at the weekly cross-country races. A month or two latter I adapted a program from a running magazine and began training for the Festival City Marathon. I followed the schedule for 7 weeks ... building up to 60 miles a week, with a 20 mile (32 km) long run each Sunday and ... did a grueling final 20 miler just 8 days from race-day ... in tough, very windy conditions. I had been attending workshops for first time marathoners' and the final workshop was the day after the 'windy 20 miler'. Ironically, in hindsight it was called 'Don't blow it now!"

During the marathon, I ran with a pack of aspiring 3:30 hopefuls and was only 2 minutes behind schedule at 35 km. Soon after I left the 35 km drink station I met an old school friend who ran a few metres along side me shouting " Come on, you only have 4 miles to go!" To him, it seemed such a short distance, when he had just driven the 6-7 km from the finish, but to me it seemed like to the end of the earth ... my legs were like lead weights ... I was hitting the 'wall' ... I was gone! I walked and shuffle the last 6-7 km and struggled to the finish line of the 1979 Adelaide Festival City Marathon in 3:56. I was disappointed not to have run all the way, but happy to have completed a marathon.

• Sri Chinmoy 24 Hour Race,  Adelaide Oct. 1994 ... ran/ walked 179 km (111 miles)

In 1981, while attending meditation classes at the Sri Chinmoy Centre, I met some very nice people who shared my love of running. So, in August 1981, encouraged by Sipra, Prabuddha and other new friends, I once again ran the Adelaide Festival City Marathon ... improving my time to 3:28.

First Ultra

A few days after the marathon I heard that, in October 1981, the first ultra-marathon in South Australia was to be held ... to run from Adelaide to the popular south coast town of Victor Harbour ... 56 miles (90 km) away. I immediately knew I wanted to do it. I was fortunate that one of my friends from the Sri Chinmoy Centre, Jogyata, agreed to be my helper.

Jogyata, who has been a true brother-friend from the day we first met, drove behind me. He would stop to provide me with food and drinks and was all resourcefulness and wisdom, as he nurtured me through sunstroke and exhaustion after a hot, blue-sky 7 km climb in the middle section of the race. I lay down for a while under a shady tree while he gave me drinks and massage. When I resumed, I used a mixture of walking and gentle running, to ease along the road. I eventually cooled down, felt stronger and was able complete the 90 km ultra in 10:37.

• With brother-friend Jogyata during World-Harmony Run ... New Zealand, 1991

Since becoming a student of Sri Chinmoy my love of running has blossomed and I have discovered race walking. I get tremendous joy and inspiration when I take up a challenge and transcend my self in some way. Running, race walking and helping to organize races has provided me with many opportunities to do this. I have completed 50+ marathons (best 3:06), 50+ ultras (longest 7 days-579 km) and have helped in various ways at fun runs, marathons, triathlons, 24 hour and multi-day races organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. I am all gratitude for these wonderful, life-enriching experiences.

More pictures:

• Carrying a flame through the snow
• World Harmony Run
• Kosciusko National Park
• Australia ... May, 1989

• 1,300 Mile Race New York Sept. 1991
• Stopped after 6 days
• Ankles sore & swollen
• Ran/ walked 292 miles (470 km)

• With Sri Chinmoy at start Sri Chinmoy 7 Day Race, Wards Isle, New York May 1993
• Ran/ walked 360 miles (579 km)

• Day 1 ... Sri Chinmoy 7 Day Race
• Good day ... 86 miles (138 km)

• Day 5 ... Sri Chinmoy 7 Day Race
• Sore shins = lots of walking

• Sri Chinmoy 100 Mile Race ... Central Park, New York ... Aug. 1986 ... took 28:20

• Sri Chinmoy 47 Mile Race ... 1994
• Carrying finish-victory-banner last lap

• Sri Chinmoy 12 Hour Walk ... 1995
• Race walked 59.7 miles (96 km)